Among the top decliners were MKH Bhd, Malaysian Pacific Industries Bhd and Lafarge Malaysia Bhd, while United Plantations Bhd led gainers. Sanichi Technology Bhd was the most-active counter.

IFCA MSC Bhd was also among the most-actively traded entities. CIMB Investment Bank Bhd said potential re-rating catalysts for IFCA shares included higher sales, driven by the implementation of the goods and services tax (GST) in Malaysia and the company's operations in China.

“The next two years will be bumper years for the company as domestic property developers upgrade their GST software in Malaysia ahead of the 1 Apr GST implementation,” said CIMB analyst Nigel Foo in a note.

According to Reuters, Asian shares held steady after pulling back from a 6-1/2 year high as the recent rally in risk assets petered out for now, while the euro clung to modest gains after rebounding from 13-month lows.